Hair clipper with mechanical means to regulate the length of cut



y, 1955 J. c. FIDDYMENT 2,708,942

HAIR CLIPPER WITH MECHANICAL MEANS TO REGULATE THE LENGTH OF CUT FiledNov. 17, 1955 HAM CLIPPER WITH MECHANICAL MEANS TO REGULATE THE LENGTHOF CUT John C. Fiddyrnent, Loekport, Ill.

Appiication November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,580

7 Claims. (Cl. 132-45) This invention relates to improvements in hairclippers used for cutting mens and boys hair which will enable aninexperienced person to make even and graduated or tapering hair cutsthat strongly resembles the work done by experts.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that will make evenand tapering hair cuts, and to increase the area of hair on a personshead that can be cut ad-- vantageously with my clipper.

A further object is to provide means requiring less skill and time to dothe Work. After the operator becomes familiar with the clipper, manypersons will be able to make the hair cuts without the assistance of theangle handle control.

Fundamentally my invention consists in the provision of means which willmechanically regulate the taper and length of hair cuts by controllingthe angle the handle of the clipper bears to the work in conjunctionwith a comb like guide that is rockingly and movably attached to thebase of clipper.

This invention further resides in the combination, construction, andarrangement of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. WhileI have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment ofmy invention it is illustrative only and not to be interpreted in alimited sense.

Figure 1 is a bottom view of the comb like guide that rides on thescalp.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a hair clipper with my improvementsthereon.

Figure 3 is a partial end view corresponding to Fig. 2 also showing theattachment of angle control rod attached to band around the neck.

Figure 4 shows a hair clipper with the improvements and the cutter barof same raised to a high point of hair cut with the modified form of thecomb like guide.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the modified comb like guide at line 5in 4-.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of pintle clamp shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, 10 indicates the clipper asa whole; 11 the handle; 12 and 13 the cutter bar; 14 the pintle oncutter bar 13 allowing the clipper to rock in the comb like guide frame16 by the bearing supports 18; a block 19 resting on pintle 14 and heldin place by the screw 20; 15 point of electrical connection; 17 spacedwire of comb like guide; 21 a strip of metal secured to handle 11 ofclipper and having a V- like edge 21a. The support 23 for the upper endof the angle control of the handle 11 is adjustably attached by thespring actuated clamp 24 which grips at any point along the edge of theV-like portion 21a and carries on its other end the adjustable fastener29 for the rod 27. Said fastener includes a bolt with a head 33 andextending through a block 34. The bolt and block have registering holesfor the rod 27. The bolt is also longitudinally tapped to receive athumb screw 36 to clamp the rod 27 in endwise adjusted position in thebolt and block. The block 34 carries a winged nut 35 that clamps the rod27 against any rocking movement about the bolt 33. When "ice the thumbscrew 36 is clamped against the rod 27 (the wing nut 35 being loosened),the bolt 33 can rock to allow the movement of the handle 11 as thecutter bar is moved upward through the hair. The rods 26 and 27 areconnected by an elbow joint 28. Control rod 26 is pivotally connected tothe loop fastener 31 at 30, and is movable along the band 32 which isbuckled around the neck. 31 is located below the clipper location whensame is in operation. Figure 4 shows the modified form of the comb likeguide 25a which has the spaced wires at the front and back ends 12a and1212. These wires are turned back at 12a and 12b as shown at 120. A partof the side frame 25a acts as a stop to prevent the cutter bars 12 and13 from dropping below the desired point.

To explain in more detail the operation of the clipper: The comb likeguide 16 attached to the base of clipper enables the cutting bars 12 and13 to cut over different formations of the skull structure. This isaccomplished by causing the comb like guide to ride on the scalp. Asthis occurs the comb like guide rocks on the pintle supports 14according to the requirements of the operation. Such rocking causes thecutter bars 12 and 13 to move away from or towards the plane passingthrough the guide parts 12a and 1212. Thus the length of the hair cutwill be regularly varied as the clipper is moved to locations on thehead which locations are progressively higher above the band 32. Thelocation of this angle control connection on the handle of the clipperdetermines the amount of raise given to the cutter bar of the clipper.If the connection is near to the top of the handle the degree of theangle of the handle changes slowly as the cutter bar is moved upwardthrough the hair making a graduated less taper to the hair cut. If theconnection is moved toward the base of the clipper, the degree of thetaper of the hair cut increases. This connecting rod is preferably madeof wire. The degree of taper to the hair cut depends on the change ofthe angle of the handle to the Work that takes place in the upwardmovement of the cutter bar. This is governed by the point at which theangle control 23 is attached to the handle 11. If an even hair length iswanted above the taper cut, the taper control fixture 23a on the handle11 of the clipper is located about the center of the handle. The joint28 is made non-rigid and the section of connecting rod 26 dotted ismoved about position shown in Fig. 2. Then the adjustable joint 29 isclamped rigid and the angle of the handle will not change in the upwardmovement of the cutter bar. If it is desired to use the clipper set tocut a shorter length of taper at a greater angle, the angle controlfixture 23 is placed at the right point on handle 11 and the connectingrods 26 and 27 are placed as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. Themovable joint 28 should then be clamped tight. At the adjustable joint29 of the angle control unit 23--the connecting rod 27 should be clampedon the bolt by the thumb screw 36 and the bolt 33 left free to turn withthe movement of the handle 11. If an even hair cut is wanted atdifierent parts of the head, the connecting rods 26 and 27 aredisconnected and the cutter bars set at the right height to make thedesired cut and clamped in that position. This may be done by connectingthe comb like guide to the adjustable joint 29 by the rod 27 (showndotted at 27a in Fig. 2), and clamped in that position. Before startingto cut the hair, it should be well combed and the hair cut started fromthe opposite way it was combed.

It is noted that the guide element which includes the serrated edgeportions 12a and 12b is brought into engagement with the patients skullduring the clipping operation, thus defining the location of the frameelement 25 at all times during the clipping operation. The clipperelement proper, 10, is connected to this rectangular frame by theoppositely disposed pintles 14 which define a transverse axis aboutwhich the clipper may be rocked during the clipping operation. Now thecutting line is defined by the upper portion or edge portion of theelements 12 and 13, which line is located much closer to the serratedportion 12a than the serrated portion 12b. Accordingly, by rocking theclipper unit about said transverse axis in counterclockwise direction(when viewed as in Figures 2 and 4), the rectangular frame remainingunrocked, it is evident that the cutting line will be brought closer tothe plane which includes or passes through the serrated edges thanformerly, so that a shorter cut will be produced, since said serratededges are kept in engagement with the patients skull during the process.A contrary action and result will be produced by rocking the clipperclockwise with respect to the rectangular frame, as will of course beevident. Thus, by rocking the clipper about said transverse axis duringthe movement of the device over the patients skull the length of theclip may be varied from location to location, but under a perfectlycontrolled operation.

It is also noted that said rectangular unit, including the serrated edgeportions 12a and 1212, may be used either with or without the controleffected by the encircling band 32 and the links 26 and 27, pivotalpoints 28 and 30, and other related elements. When such control elementsare used they will serve to define geometrically the exact form of thecurve on which the clipped surface will be produced, and it is evidentthat a peculiar and special curve of movement of the clip line is thusrequired for any prescribed location of the band, lengths of the links,and location of the gripping element 23 along the rails 21a (only one ofwhich rails, the near one, is shown in Figures 2 and 4). Thus, the partsmay be adjusted so that the length of clip will increase as the clipperis moved to higher locations on the skull, to produce a crew cut ofaccurately defined form, or for other clipping specifications. Or, byloosening the lock screws 28 (only one of which is shown in saidfigures), and the screws 29 (only one of which is likewise shown in saidfigures), a partial control of the movements of the clipper will beeffected during the upward movement over the skull surface. Or, bysetting the clipper in the one direction or the other along the rails21a various desired forms of movement of the cutting edge over the skullsurface, with varying lengths of the clip may be produced according tothe desires of the barber and his patient.

It is also evident that by removing the clipper from the control frame,as by slipping the rails 21a endwise from the grips 23, but leaving therectangular frame with its serrated edges in pivotal connection with theend portion of the clipper, the barber will have great freedom of choiceof the length of the cut during the entire clipper movement, since hewill be able to rock the clipper about the pintles 14 as he moves theunit over the patients skull, but keeping the serrated edges at alltimes in contact with the skull to thus define the plane which includessaid edges, and thus also effect that limited amount of control which itis desired to produce in the operation.

I contemplate both forms of operation, either with or without thelinkage elements and related parts, as being within the scope of myinvention, as defined by the claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a hair clipper having at one end a pair ofcooperating clipper cutting elements acting substantially on a line ofclipping extending substantially parallel to said-end and means toactuate said clipper elements for clipping, of means to support andguide the clipper comprising a rectangular frame member of size andcontour to encircle said clipper end and having upper and lowerperimeter elements having head skull engaging edge portions extendingsubstantially parallel to the line of clipping and having frame endelements joining said upper and lower frame elements and lying inproximity to the side faces of the said clipper end portion, togetherwith a pivotal connection between each end element of the frame and theproximate side face of the end portion of the clipper, said pivotalconnections establishing an axis of rock of the hair clipper withrespect to the frame and the pivotal connections being so positioned onthe side faces of the clipper and on the frame end elements that saidaxis of rock lies substantially parallel to and displaced from the lineof clipping and lies backwardly from a plane surface parallel to theaxis of rock and including the head skull engaging edge portions of theframe.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the head skull engaging edgeportions of the upper and lower perimeter elements of the rectangularframe member are serrated.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the axis of rock lies belowthe line of clipping when the end of the clipper lies substantiallyparallel to the plane surface which is parallel to the axis of rock andincludes the head skull engaging edge portions of the frame.

4. The combination with a hair clipper for a person, said clipper havingat one end a pair of cooperating clipper cutting elements actingsubstantially on a line of clipping extending substantially parallel tosaid end and means to actuate said clipper elements for clipping, ofmeans to support and guide the clipper comprising a rectangular framemember of size and contour to encircle said clipper end and having upperand lower perimeter elements having head skull engaging edge portionsextending substantially parallel to the line of clipping and. havingframe end elements joining said upper and lower frame elements and lyingin proximity to the side faces of the said clipper end portion, togetherwith a pivotal connection between each end element of the frame and theproximate side face of the end portion of the clipper, said pivotalconnections establishing an axis of rock of the hair clipper withrespect to the frame and the pivotal connections being so positioned onthe side faces of the clipper and on the frame end elements that saidaxis of rock lies substantially parallel to and displaced from the lineof clipping and lies backwardly from a plane surface parallel to theaxis of rock and including the head skull engaging edge portions of theframe, together with secondary guide means for the aforesaid elements,comprising a rail extending substantially parallel to the clipper body,means to secure the rail to the clipper body, a bracket element slidablyengaged with the rail and movably adjustable along the rail, means tohold the bracket in adjusted position on the rail, an element removablyconnected to the person at a point below the head skull, a link, andpivotal connections between one link end and the bracket and between theother link end and the element which is removably connected to theperson.

5. Means as defined in claim 4, wherein the pivotal connection betweenthe link and the bracket includes means to vary the effective length ofthe link between the bracket and the element which is removablyconnected to the person.

6. Means as defined in claim 4, together with means to lock theconnection between the link and the bracket against pivotal rock.

7. Means as defined in claim 4, wherein the link includes two sectionswhich are pivotally connected to gether, together with manually operablemeans to lock said sections against rocking movement with respect toeach other on said pivotal connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

